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Contextualizing cognition: Socio-environmental factors shape how momentary stress predicts memory
Jillian R Silva-Jones1, Anna L Smith2, Christopher K Marshburn1
1Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
Social Science & Medicine (1982)
|August 21, 2025
Summary
Socio-environmental factors like population density and resources impact how stress affects memory. High density with stress worsens memory, while low resources with high blood pressure may improve recall.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Environmental Psychology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Memory is crucial for navigating life demands and maintaining well-being.
- Stress impacts memory processing, aiding adaptation to challenges.
- Environmental factors significantly modulate stress responses.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how socio-environmental factors (area density, resources) interact with stress indicators to influence memory processing.
- To examine the predictive relationship between daily stress responses and memory recall within diverse U.S. adult populations.
Main Methods:
- Assessed daily psychological stress and blood pressure over 21 days in U.S. adults.
- Utilized a paired-associates memory task administered multiple times.
- Analyzed the influence of area density and socioeconomic resources on stress-memory relationships.
Main Results:
- Population density and socioeconomic resources moderated the effect of stress on memory recall.
- Living in dense areas with acute stressors was linked to poorer memory.
- Higher systolic blood pressure correlated with better memory recall in low-resource areas.
Conclusions:
- Socio-environmental context can either hinder or enhance psychophysiological resources and cognitive function.
- The interplay between environment, stress, and cognition is complex and context-dependent.
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